Union against private supplementary care insurance

Warning against capitation: The DGB welcomes the decision of the Union not to introduce individual supplementary care insurance. The Federal Minister of Health had made himself strong for this.

28/01/2011

The German Trade Union Confederation (DGB) welcomes the rejection of the Union to an individual supplementary care insurance and calls for a solidary reform for a uniform long-term care insurance. Annelie Buntenbach, DGB board member, said on Friday in Berlin:
„It would be very welcome if the coalition would actually bury the nonsensical and anti-social plans for supplementary private care insurance. However, we caution against introducing a non-income-related flat rate for long-term care insurance because it is just as unfair as supplementary insurance. We demand a uniform long-term care insurance for all employees instead of one-sided burdens.

The long-term care insurance financed by employers and insured persons is a proven model for the future. In order to guarantee the necessary improvement of the care benefits and at the same time to keep the future burdens on the contributors within narrow limits, a solidary further development of long-term care insurance is indispensable. To this end, we propose to include the private nursing care insurance in a solidary financial compensation. The private nursing care insurance makes billions surpluses every year, because it receives high contributions from the so-called better earners, but must finance considerably fewer nursing cases. It is a requirement of justice that these surpluses do not end up in the private nursing care account but are used to improve care for all.“

Prof. Winkler of the Volkssolidarität emphasized: In the interest of good care, increases in contributions are also acceptable. However, this only on the condition that the financing and the benefits of long-term care insurance will be made fairer. The people solidarity is not against the introduction of a reserve, the burden of care insurance by an aging population
secure. This should be formed under the roof of the social nursing insurance from contributions funds.

Due to the demographic change, the Federal Minister of Health Philipp Rösler (FDP) had advocated for individual supplementary care insurance. Health insured persons should take out additional private insurance in addition to the regular long-term care insurance. Health insurance companies and associations had criticized this initiative as "unsocial". Instead, a capital stock should be established, which is under the supervision of the health insurance companies. In addition, the contributions to long-term care insurance should rise slightly. (pm, sb)

Also read:
Rösler plans private supplementary care insurance
Contribution increase expected at nursing care insurance